Stitch marker



P. RAPP ET AL STITCH MARKER Filed Au 8, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 14 I924.

P. RAPP ET AL STITCH MARKER Filed Aug. 2 2 Shah-Shut. 2

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0 zzeaiea' W Patented Get. 14, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PERRY RAIPP AND MAX D. RATNER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

STITCH MARKER.

Application filed. August 8, 1922. Serial No. 580,545.

It has long been customary in the manufacture of clot-hing to simultaneously mark a number of pieces of cloth laid together.

This has usually been accomplished by means of thread sections commonly known as stitch markers. 7 marking process'ha's involved a good'deal of hand labor, and each piece of cloth has had to have separate attention in cutting the threads. Hence the process was slow and tedious.

' The main objects of this invention are to provide an apparatus of improved form adapted for simultaneous cutting of the marker threads for the several pieces of cloth by a single operation ormovement of the hand; to provide a machine adapted to run the thread through the'cloth and then hold the lower end securely while loops are being pulled between the several layers of cloth; to provide mechanical means for successively pulling the several loops; to provide in such a machine, cutting blades'of suitable form disposed between the several layers to simultaneously cut the threads after the loops have been formed; to set thread cut off sections of predetermined and equal'length between the several layers of cloth, paper or other fabric and also at the top and bottom of the lay to provide a machine adapted for design to accommodate a lay of any desired height or number of layers; to provide a positive automatic thread lock to enable the insertion of either double or single thread markers; and to providepositive means for clamping the stitched portion of the lay to the frame when the markers are out.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which-e Y Figure 1 is a plan of the machine.

F ig. 2 is mainly a side elevation, part 'Heretofore the stitch I the inner end of a pair of the thread drawbeing in vertical longitudinal section.

Fig. 3 is a view of the underside of the machine.

Fig. 4- is a section on the line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is mainly an enlarged fragmentary underside plan of the middle or stitch mak ing part of the machine, part being in horizontal section.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section substantially on the line 66 of Fig. 5 with the needle raised in its normal position.

Fig. 7 is similar to Fig. 6 except that the needle is lowered and the thread catch is entering the loop.

Fig. 8 is a vertical section on the line 88 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 9 is a broken perspective view of mg. and cutting blades and associated cloth and thread.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged cross section on the line 10-10 of Fig. 1.

In the construction shown in the drawings, the machine comprises a substantially unitary frame 1, which may be of integral character, in combination with two prin cipal mechanisms 2 and 3, the one for in serting the thread to form the stitch marks, and the other for pulling the loops and cutting the thread.

The first mechanism 2 resembles somewhat in general appearance an ordinary sewing machine, but is structurally very different and is much simpler in makeup and operation, as will be described.

The second mechanism or loop pulling and cutting means 3 comprises mainly a series of blades 4 disposed side by side, one above another, in slightly spaced relation, and fasi tened pivota-lly at their outer ends to a common vertical'axis 5 on'a movable support 6,

in combination with handle means 7 for 1 over the bed plate of frame 1 where it is supported by the bracket or arm 11, a downwardly movable foot or clamp member 12 to secure the goods in place, a needle holder 13 and a plurality of thread guides 14, 15, and 16. I

The blades 4 may be set simultaneously in their stitch receiving position, as in Fig. 1, by means of the bent lever 17 pivoted at 18 to the head 19 on the carrierstrip 6. Said lever has a handle arm 20 disposed over and adjacent to the handle 8 and a side arm 21 having a vertical bearing tip 22 to contact against the outer edges of arms 7 for gang restoring control thereof. The handle arms 7 are of different lengths and have a stepped arrangement to facilitate successive manual selection for operation in pulling in the stitch loops The inner ends of the blades 4 and blade-like support 6 are Jlongitud-inally slotted at 24 to register with the needle 25. The slots 24 are oblong lengthwise of the blades and are preferably oval in shape with the large end under the needle and the narrow ends extending away from handle 8, the latter ends and adjacent trailing edges being sharp edged as indicated at 24 and 24 on Fig. 9, for severing the threads when the blades are pulled. out wardly by handle 8.

An adjustable stop 26 on the head 19 limits theoutward swing of the blades. Said stop is secured by set screws 27 disposed in horizontal slots 28 in the shank 26 of said stop. a shorter loop .is desired the stop 26 is moved inward toward the needle accordingly, and vice versa. In order to facilitate assembling and interchanging parts the head 19 is provided with a socket 29 and the blades 4are assembleddirectly on a plug member .30 fitting in said socket where held by a set screw 31, as shown by Fig. 10. The projecting end of plug 30 is slotted to receive the angular blade ends andthe pivot 5 set in said plug holds the blades i'n operative position. "The screw 31 bears directly against a clamping filler-block 32 as shown in Fig. 10. .Head 19 is secured to strip 6 by the plate 33 and screws 34. The top plate 33 is held by screws 34. The restoration movement of blades 4 is limited by a stop pin '5 in the back part of the plug 30.

The blade holder strip '6 is secured slidably to the lower side "of the frame extension plate 35' by meansof guide blocks 36 fas tened by screws Stops 38 are fastened on strip 6 by screws '39 and 'serve to limit the longitudinal movement of the blades in cutting and restoring.

Referring again to the stitch inserting mechanism 2, the post 10 carries the clamping device 12 and the needle holder 13. The clamp 12 comprises a plunger rod 41 held by the guide members 42, 43 and 44 on post 10, a foot proper 45 at the lower end to bear upon the goods to be marked, an operating lever- 46 and a lifting spring 47 to restore the plungervand liftthefo 0t when the lever handle 48 is released. Said lever is pivoted to arm 11 at 46. A link 41 having a shoulder 41" .is pivoted to lever 46 :at-46".

The needle holding plunger 13 operates in guides 49 and 50. .The lower end has a socket to receive the shank of the needle 25 which is held by a set-screw 51. Arestoring spring 52 raises the plunger 13 after each stitch. The needle may be driven down very forcibly through the goods 53 by reason of the broad head 54 on the upper end of the plunger 13. The cylindrical plungers 13 and 41 are provided with lateral guide arms 55-and 56 respectively, both: of which slide on the verticalguide rod 57, which is spaced from said plungers in-the casing of post 10.

In order to secure the lower end. :of the thread and prevent withdrawal while loops are being pulled a thread holding device is supplied on the underside of the bed plate or frame 1. This attachment is in the form of a horizontally disposed pin 61, of pointed shuttle like shape, on the forward end of a plunger rod 62. Said rod is actuated byra lowermost point and-starts to ascend the pin 61 enters the loop .70 and holds the thread down. Said pin is carried by abracket 71 on rod 62, as wellshown in Fig. 7. The i is held by screw 72.

Inorder to grip the thread in case only one strand is to be used the pin 61 is curved somewhat in a horizontal plane, as at 74cm Fig. 5',and is so positioned relative'rto a fixed block 75 that when theneedle 2.5 is raised -the pin 61 grips the thread tightly against said block and holds it while thef marker loops are being pulled. A slighthook or notch 76 is provided on the under'sideof pin 61 near its point. The bend at 74is exaggerated dueto the small scale.

The operation and further details of the machine may be described as follows: Strips of material 53., as for instance cloth, are

placed on the bed plate or platform with the several blades 4 interposed .as shown Figs. 6, 7, 8, and "9, said blades all being swung fully back and retractedto their innermost positions .as in Figs. 5 *and fi, "as provided for by swinging the arms 17 all counter-clockwise and pushing inwardly ion the handle 8. In this position'the needle 25 and bed perforation 78 are .alined with the inner ends of the blade'slots24; The

.foot 45. is-next lowered and then the :needle is operated. The handles 48 and 354 are then both released and the blades 4 are operated successively beginning at the bottom. Then the foot is again lowered and the handle 8 is pulled outwardly, thus cutting the stitch markers apart. The foot is then raised and the goods are removed. The operation is then repeated with the next lay of goods.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention is herein shown and described it will be understood that some of the details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

It is to be understood that the lay or stack of goods to be operated upon may be of any height or number of layers desired within the lift range of the needle and clamping foot above the bed plate. Although in some cases it is preferable to use double thread markers, it is more economical, and usually suflicient to use single thread stitches or markers. In the latter instance the peculiar locking function of the block 7 5 is essential as will be apparent.

We claim:

1. A device for applying stitch markers comprising in combination a frame, a needle and operating mechanism therefor arranged to carry a loop of thread through the lay, a catch operable crosswise of the tip of said needle to engage said loop and prevent withdrawal of the thread, and mu]- ti-bladed means to successively pull loops in said thread between layers, each blade having an aperture to admit said needle and thread and each aperture being bordered by a sharp edge to out said thread when said means are pulled lengthwise of the blades.

2. In a device of the character described a loop puller comprising a series of blades to be interposed between the layers of goods and adjustable means to limit the pulling movement of said blades.

3. In a device of the character described a loop puller comprising a series of blades to be interposed between the layers of goods, and manually operable handles of successively greater length to facilitate pulling serially and gang restoring means therefor.

4. In a device of the character described a loop puller comprising a series of blades to be interposed between the layers of goods, and a handle for pulling said blades collectively lengthwise to cut the thread loops, said blades each having a sharp edge to engage the thread.

5. In a device of the character described a loop puller comprising a series of blades to be interposed between the layers of goods, and means to move said blades lengthwise and stop means to limit their movement in each direction.

Signed at Chicago this 4 day of Aug, 1922.

PERRY RAPP. MAX D. RATNER. 

